


Grab a Sinner by the Hand

by DramaforyourLlama



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-26
Updated: 2020-04-26
Packaged: 2021-03-01 16:47:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,883
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23850292
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DramaforyourLlama/pseuds/DramaforyourLlama
Summary: This had to be some sort of trap. Slowly, cautiously, Ahsoka crossed the distance between them, one hand firmly on her ‘saber.Or:After Maul hijacks Jesse's mind, he decides to use his last brain cell and realizes that Ahsoka might not trust a dumpster fire who wants to kill her friend just because he says he knows stuff.
Relationships: Ahsoka Tano & Anakin Skywalker (mentioned), Darth Maul & Ahsoka Tano
Comments: 6
Kudos: 151





	Grab a Sinner by the Hand

Maul stood with his hand extended out to her, patiently waiting for her to take it. Ahsoka could hardly believe it. The infamous Darth Maul asking for Ahsoka’s help in destroying his Master? Anakin would be appalled if he were there. He’d probably scoff in disbelief before answering with a lightsaber to Maul’s face. 

Should she really turn him down, though? Obi-Wan had said they needed to get all the information about this Sidious that they could and if Sidious really was responsible for the Clone Wars then there was a really high chance he had something worse planned. Maul might be the galaxy’s best bet to put an end to whatever evil might await. 

Could she trust Maul? He was responsible for so much death and suffering and he was a sith! It was crazy to even entertain the idea of helping him! He probably had some sort of ulterior motive for even suggesting they work together and would surely double cross her. The Prime Minister had mentioned that he was trying to find Anakin. Was telling her about Sidious some sort of plan to get to him? And what on earth did Maul even want with Anakin in the first place?

From the corner of her eye she could see flashes of light from the battle raging outside. She wondered how Rex and the others were doing. Were they winning? How many of her men had fallen? How many more battles like this could the Republic and the Jedi possibly survive? They had already been struggling so much before Ahsoka had left and she doubted it had gotten any better.

A soft breeze lightly kissed her skin and ash and dust danced across the floor. There must have been a broken window somewhere. 

Ahsoka took a deep breath and focused once again on the man in front of her. She might have been projecting, but there appeared to be something almost like desperation in his eyes. 

“I will help you but you must answer one question.”

“You have but to ask,” Maul said, eyes not leaving hers.

So she did. “What do you want with Anakin Skywalker?” 

Maul didn’t even hesitate before responding, “He is the key to this whole thing.”

That sounded familiar to Ahsoka and she almost gasped out loud. Could it have to do with his fabled role as the Chosen One? Anakin was incredibly powerful and if anyone could stop Sidious, it would be him. “To bring balance to the force?”

“To destroy.” Maul said, and once again stuck his hand out towards Ahsoka. “Come, I will show you what I’ve seen.” 

This had to be some sort of trap. Slowly, cautiously, Ahsoka crossed the distance between them, one hand firmly on her ‘saber.  _ I must be insane! This is crazy. But I have to know.  _ She stopped a foot away from Maul and hesitantly put a hand in his. 

Maul closed his eyes. Ahsoka could feel his presence in the force push against her mind. It felt cold and dark and awful. Her mind recoiled instinctively and she tried to draw her hand away but Maul held on.

He sighed like one of Ahsoka's teachers who had always been disappointed with her difficulty understanding the material. “Really, Ahsoka Tano, I mean you no harm. If you are to help me, you must know what we face. Open your mind and reach out to me. It will only take a moment.”

Well, in for a credit. Against all her better judgement, Ahsoka closed her eyes and lowered her mental shields. Instantly her mind was flooded. It was like being thrown into a cold pond. She heard the sound of deep mechanical breathing and then she was submerged. Everything shut down and faded away until all that was left were the images before her. 

_ There is a child standing by a very young Obi-Wan Kenobi. Chancellor Palpatine stood before them, his eyes fixed firmly on the blonde boy “We will be watching your career very closely.” _

_ The boy becomes Anakin Skywalker, Senior Padawan. He stands on a planet of sand, his lightsaber flashing around him. Anger and fear is thick in the air. The force twists around him, becoming something darker. Bodies fall; men, women, children. Then suddenly it’s over, and he’s crying over the bruised and battered body of a woman. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry”  _

_ The scene changes to that of a big room on a command ship. Chancellor Palpatine, seated on a throne with binders on his arms. Anakin Skywalker, towering over a handless and kneeling Count Dooku. Two lightsaber blades are pressed into his neck and the Count trembles with fear. “Good, Anakin, Good. I knew you could do it. Kill him. Kill him now!” _

_ “I shouldn’t…” But his hands don’t move. _

_ “Do it!” And Anakin Skywalker does, Count Dooku’s head rolling on the floor.  _

_ The scenes shift again and again. Voices come and go.  _

_ "So this is how democracy dies, with thunderous applause." _

_ “Is it possible to learn this power?”  _

_ "It has become increasingly clear to many of us that the Chancellor has become an enemy to democracy." _

_ “You must break through the fog of lies that the Jedi have created around you. Let me help you learn the subtleties of the Force.” _

_ “You’re a Sith Lord!” _

_ Mace Windu, standing with a lightsaber poised over Chancellor Pallpatine. “Nooo!” Anakin Skywalker, confused and afraid, draws his blade.  _

_ “Rise, Darth Vader.” _

_ Darth Vader, gliding through the temple with death in his wake. “Master Skywalker, there’s too many of them. What are we going to do?” _

_ Clone troopers turning their blasters on their Jedi. Aayla Secura, shot in the back. Ploo Koon, his ship taking a blow from behind. One after another, dead, dead, dead.  _

_ Darth Vader with his arm outstretched. Padme Amidala, gasping for breath.  _

_ Obi-Wan Kenobi and Darth Vader, blades meeting. “You were my brother, Anakin! I loved you!” The sharp smell of burning flesh.  _

_ Everything burns, burns, burns.  _

_ The deep sound of mechanical breathing.  _

_ Clone troopers in clean white armor. Emperor Palpatine announcing the betrayal and end of the Jedi. _

_ "You may fire when ready!" Thousands of voices crying out in the force as a planet shatters into dust.  _

_ Through it all: Darth Vader with his swaying black cape. A ruthless murderer at the beck and call of his Master. He slaughters innocents and leaves nothing but tragedy, tragedy, tragedy.  _

_ Everything fades. _

After seconds, or maybe years, the visions faded and all Ahsoka saw was the back of her eyelids, spotts dancing across them. Her head was resting against something cool and sturdy 

and she stayed there a minute trying to steady herself. She felt dizzy and unbalanced. Her throat hurt as if she had inhaled smoke and she was struggling to breathe normally. She could still smell something burning.

Ahsoka gasped for breath and tried to sort through everything she had just seen. Would those things really happen? Was it really possible that Chancellor Palpatine was the Sith Lord? Anakin… Could he really be the terrible hulking figure with the mechanical breathing she had seen? Darth Vader, Palpatine had called him. She couldn’t believe it. Anakin would never help committ genocide or slaughter innocents! It was all so much and it didn’t make any sense.

“You see now what fate awaits us. We must stop Anakin Skywalker from joining Sidious.” The voice came from right above her ear and she threw her head up, almost colliding with Maul’s. Blast, in the haze from the vision she’d forgotten about him. He chuckled. “Careful, now.” She must have fallen over during the vision and now Maul was the only thing from keeping her from hitting the floor. 

Ahsoka jumped away to put as much distance between them as she could. The quick movement jarred her and she found herself taking more calming breaths. Maul was staring at her with an expression that was either pity or impatience but either way she wanted to punch it off his face.

“Master Yoda says that the future is always in motion and that visions of it can be dangerous and easily misinterpreted. How can we be sure of the things you’ve shown me? The jedi would know if Chancellor Palpatine was a Sith Lord.”

Maul continued to stare at her and this time she was sure it was with pity. “Ahsoka Tano, I can assure you that these events are already in motion. Sidious has been planning this for a very long time and has gone to great lengths to stay hidden in the shadows. Your beloved Skywalker has long been groomed for his role as my master’s new apprentice. You’ve seen it for yourself, deep down you must know that we have been shown the truth.”

His words sent chills down her spine. She had seen it for herself and it did seem so real, like the visions she’d had of Padme being assassinated but so much more. And hadn’t Obi-Wan told her that the council had feared the Chancellor had gained too much power? The visions had even shown Anakin killing Dooku, which Obi-Wan had also mentioned. But to believe these visions would be to believe that Anakin would slaughter younglings and terrorize the galaxy. She might have lost faith in a lot of things, but she would never lose her faith in Anakin Skywalker.

“I know Anakin. He would never fall to the dark side.” Her fingers grasped at her lightsabers as she said this, finding strength in the cool metal.

Maul’s eyes tracked the movement and Ahsoka noticed his own hand going to his hilt but when he spoke it was as if he was discussing the weather.

"Wouldn’t he? You do not know how seductive the dark side can truly be and that man has been fighting it for some time now. Feel the force. Feel how it hums with the dark side. We are all going to burn unless you and I stop it.”

As a padawan Ahsoka had always struggled with meditation and communing with the force, preferring ‘saber practice and kicking droid butts, but now she dove into it with all the energy she had left. The visions Maul had shown her had truly unbalanced her and she needed to know the truth. The force could not let her down now. 

The force had seemed clouded ever since the war began but now it was incredibly clear. Clear and incredibly sad. It pounded in her mind  _ truth, truth,  _ and  _ listen, listen _ like a song of lament. Ahsoka heard the sound of deep, mechanical breathing and smelt something burning.  _ I am so sorry, Anakin, _ she thought and then opened her eyes.

“I will help you defeat Sidious. But I will save Anakin. It can’t be too late for him.”

Maul scowled for a moment. “Very well. But if you fail, we will do things my way.”

“You’re on.” For the second time that day, Ahsoka crossed the distance between them and took Maul’s hand. She shook it once and then dropped it as quickly as she could. “Don’t even think of double crossing me, Maul, or I will kill you.”

Ahsoka knew the expression on his face was smug satisfaction. She still wanted to punch it off his face. 

**Author's Note:**

> *Includes quotes from the episode and ROTS
> 
> Man was the Phantom Apprentice a good episode! I haven't written fanfiction since I was a wee lass, but recently I've decided I wanted to get back into writing and I thought fanfiction would give me some good practice. Quarantine and Clone Wars season 7 has given me plenty of time and inspiration so expect more stuff from me soon! 
> 
> Again, it's been a little bit since I've really written so please give me all the constructive criticism.


End file.
